Yesterday I hosted my last Art Appreciation class with the group for this current year.Such fun to make serapes and see the class practice dancing.I will miss them and all the focus that they given me over the past year. I do have a signed photo including all their signatures -pretty cool for 1st graders.Thanks to all the Mums who have helped in the class over the year.I hope that this talented group continue to explore their art.
I like to swap and trade craft.When planning a tour with 25 6 years old on Saturday afternoon it began invaluable.50 hands holding pieces and not touching anything else.
This morning there was anunusual bird song in our hedge.I’ve just spent 10 minutes trying to track it down.Eventually after being still and using my eyes I caught a movement.A baby Junco fledging on the back rail begging from it Father.Will post an image of a Junco as my UK lot will have no idea what it is-one more bird species I’ve learned.
So this is the closing page of Fantasy.I printed Aunty Katies poem onto fabric and used part of the page.This is the poem text.
Fantasy K M
I wandered along the pathway
Far from my little grey house
Far from the things I loved
I wanted to roam.
–
I wanted to see what it felt like
To be by myself
With a land of Strange things around me
So I crept forward with stealth.
–
I left my garden of sunshine
Where my favourite flowers grew
The flowers I tended daily
And I wondered if they knew.
–
I wondered if I’d been dreaming
When I bade them farewell
For they all seemed to talk plainly
Though usually tis hard to tell.
–
They seem to say “we will miss you’
But we understand why you go
And I turned away for it must be me
I loved them all so.
–
I prayed to the dew & the sunshine,
To tend my garden well
And the snow and the frost to keep it from harm
When winter fell.
–
I trundled along the pathway
To my land of strange things
They sparkled in the sunshine,
And beckon me in.
–
I went because I’d no money,
And imagined myself awfully poor
I knew when I reached the city of wealth,
I’d want for money no more.
–
But through money came quiet easily
My wealth was diminishing fast
For I found when inside the city
The glitter did not last.
–
Though money past through my fingers,
Hundreds of pounds a day,
Yet my interest lie in my little rough spot,
A thousand miles away.
–
I dreamed of my garden of sunshine,
When asleep in my city of glare,
I fancied it all choked with weeds,
Because it was needing my care.
–
So I gave back my gold to the land of strange things.
And away from those pavements I hastened my steps.
Nor did I take note of the voice that called,
From the city of gaudy glitter.
–
I hastened my steps to my garden
Once more my flowers to tend.
And never again
For money or fame
Will I my small plot exchange
KM
Great Day but just going to share some pages for now
So for me writing that makes sense is always a challenge.For this reason anyone who can write poetry I really respect and admire.
I’ve mentioned Happygrams before and yesterday received this beautiful poem and orb web spider created by Lo.I’m currently creating a mixed media forest setting so have been making tree bark.I burnt rather too large of a hole in the charring process so can now make this a focal point using Lo’s spider.It adds another story to the piece which in time I will share.
The hands were a first attempt.I really enjoyed making the window though.Time to get on with some gluing…….
The view is a huge inspiration on my art.From my desk at the time I made this piece I had this view.Things change and now I craft in a different area of the house so the view now includes a large tree but is no less stunning.
So I started to experiment with hand dyeing fabric a while back.I don’t do this very often and tend to hoard the fabric produced.The left hand page is one experiment and has E’s crochet flowers from Norway.The right hand page is pure play and I like it.
So I’ve been hosting a Inchies swap for about a year now and these pages probably show that influence the most.I’m also getting interested in tactial surfaces as I currently am enjoying creating art by being an assistant to a group of visually impaired artists.We have lots of fun.The group stretch and stimulate me and this is showing in my work.
